Page 15 - 6-26-15 Friday's Edition

Features
West Tampa CDC
HART Recognized For Excellence In Budget Presentation
Will Be Vital To CRA
For the third year in a row, the Hillsborough Area Re- gional Transit Authority (HART) has received a top transit industry award for its outstanding accomplish- ments in governmental budg- eting.
The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) recently awarded the transit agency with the Cer- tificate of Distinguished Budget Presentation, for its $83.8 million FY2015 budget.
This award is the highest form of recognition for gov- ernmental budgeting, and HART officials are thrilled to accept it.
“We are honored once
again to receive this award from such a highly esteemed organization, and commend our finance department staff for their diligent efforts.
“Their dedication to our core values ensures the agency’s continued financial stability,” Jeff Seward, HART Chief Financial Officer said. The agency’s budget for FY2015 was reviewed by se- lected members of the GFOA professional staff and the Special Review Committee, to assure it met the program’s high standards. Recipients were required to meet nation- ally recognized guidelines for effective budget presenta- tion. GFOA assesses the effec- tiveness of each agency’s
budget as a policy document, financial plan, operations guide and communications device.
Katherine Eagan,
HART Chief Executive Officer said, “We are very proud to be the recipient of this distin- guished award.
“This honor reflects the agency’s dedication and com- mitment to the highest stan- dards and continues an on-going legacy of prudent fi- nancial management.”
For more information on HART, including OneBus- Away, Real-time Arrival In- formation via Text Message, trip planning, schedules, maps and fares, just visit www.goHART.org.
BY LEON B. CREWS Sentinel Staff Writer
West Tampa CDC Devel- opment Manager Michael Randolph said he thinks the West Tampa CRA and West Tampa CDC should form a partnership when it comes to the future of West Tampa.
“People must have an un- derstanding of what the CRA can and can’t do. The West Tampa CDC can accomplish a lot of things residents in the area want to see change, and the CRA can be vital in help- ing the CDC get funds it needs.
“We can get grants to focus on the needs of the West Tampa community.
“One of the things we want to see is a West Tampa substance abuse treatment program. That’s the begin- ning of healing the commu- nity before any redevelopment projects begin.”
Randolph said to rede- velop West Tampa in its cur- rent state would not be beneficial to the African American community, be- cause programs and other things need to be in place first.
“When it comes to the fu- ture of West Tampa, we must protect the assets we cur-
rently have, and work hard to create more. We must build up an economic infrastruc- ture.
“The down-to-earth things we need to save West Tampa will come through the CDC.”
Randolph said as far as the CRA and Tax Increment Finance (TIF) dollars are concerned, it’s important everyone does their home- work to understand how they’re used and that jobs are created along with more Black owned businesses.
“I think the creation of business incubators is bril- liant. It has proven to be vital in the creation of more Black- owned businesses.
“When it comes to the Cit- izens Advisory Committee (the group that will be mak- ing recommendations to the city on the expenditure of TIF dollars), we have got to make sure we have strong, knowl- edgeable people on that board. We have to have a team of people who can work together and it must before the good of the community.”
Randolph said he’s very excited about the future of West Tampa, and prepara- tions must continue to deal with what impact relocating the residents of North Boule- vard Homes will have.
Meeting
Important West Tampa Community Meeting
On Monday, June 29th at 12:30 p.m., the public is asked to come to the West Tampa Library on Howard and Union Street for a meeting to discuss the transformation of West Tampa.
Residents and business owners are invited to come out and let their voices be heard on projects like the redevelopment of North Boulevard Homes; the West
Tampa Community Rede- velopment Plan; updates from the City of Tampa Urban Planning Coordina- tor on Presbyterian Village, Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park the Rome Avenue Op- erations Yard and the Cy- press Street Storm Water Culvert, and the annual re- port from the City of Tampa’s Housing and Com- munity Development De- partment.
FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2015 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 3-B